


Red Bet, Blue Bet

by CrzyFun



Series: Cat of a Different Color [13]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, Genderfluid Character, genderfluid blue lion, the lions are cats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-09
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2019-01-15 09:14:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12318072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrzyFun/pseuds/CrzyFun
Summary: For Days 9 and 10 of Platonic VLD Month 2017: Lion Swap and RivalryBlue and Merla make a bet, as do Keith and Lance.





	1. The Lions

The training room was quiet when Blue entered, Keith sitting off to the side with a pouch of water.

He looked up and smiled at her. “Hey, Merla. I was just taking a break. You want to join in?”

The red cheetah shook her head before walking over to sit next to him.

Keith raised an eyebrow. “Why are you so quiet? Is something wrong?”

Blue shook her head again and yawned before curling up to sleep.

“Alright then. You rest up.”

* * *

“Hey there Blue, little help?” Lance chuckled, holding up his hands.

Merla snorted seeing the ribbon tangled around his wrists, but walked over to help him free.

He sighed as the blue tiger tugged at the fabric. “Thanks. I was working on Chip’s dress and just… I hate Altean ribbon. This stuff has a mind of it’s own, I swear!”

Merla snorted again and stepped back as Lance set the ribbon down with a dirty look.

“So, what have you been up to?”

_Okay, Merla. What would Blue do?_ Before she could question herself, Merla tackled Lance and started grooming his hair.

“Ugh! Blue! Why are you always like this?” Lance groaned.

_Nailed it,_ she thought with a chuff as she licked behind his ear.

* * *

<So, have either of them figured it out yet?> Chip asked.

<Nope,> Merla snorted.

<It’s been a week. You’d think they would have realized _something_ by now, > Pua said.

<I know. I’m starting to think we should just call the whole thing off. I miss Lance,> Blue sighed.

<Giving in already,> Merla purred and draped herself over Blue, who groaned.

<You are too big to do that right now,> the cheetah whined. <And I’m not giving in. I still say Lance will figure it out first. I just miss cuddles.>

<Have you not been giving Keith cuddles?> Merla growled.

<Of course not, I’m pretending to be you.>

<I cuddle my cub all the time! We just don’t feel the need to do it out in the open! By the Anodites, how has he not realized you’re not me?>

<And what about you? I’ve seen you hiding every time Lance comes around with the brush!>

<My fur is perfect the way it is and I’d rather not have your paladin yanking at it, thank you! Keith doesn’t even brush my fur.>

<It’s not about the fur, it’s about spending quality time together.>

<Keith and I spend plenty of quality time together without the need for scratchy combs, fur-pulling, and excessive touching.>

<So does this mean the bet’s off?> Chip asked. <Was there a counter measure if one of you gives in or do you both just loose since neither of your paladins realized you switched?>

<There’s no countermeasure, and we don’t need one. Keith will figure it out.>

<Not before Lance does!>

<There you four are.> The cats all turned to see Ryou in the doorway. <It’s time for training. Get to your paladins.>

<Going,> Pua said.

The liger nodded and turned to leave before pausing. He sent a glare at the cheetah and tiger. <Merla, Blue, why do you look like each other?>

<No reason,> they both shouted before running past him.


	2. The Paladins

“End training sequence,” Keith said as he wiped his brow. He walked over to the side of the room where he’d left his jacket and grabbed his water. He slouched down against the wall with a sigh.

The door to the training room opened and Keith turned to smile at the cheetah that walked in. “Hey, Merla. I was just taking a break. You want to join in?”

Her watched her shake her head before she came over to sit a short ways from him. He raised an eyebrow as he fought down a smirk. “Why are you so quiet? Is something wrong?” He rolled his eyes as she shook her head and went to sleep. “Alright then. You rest up.”

* * *

“Why is it that everything the Alteans designed is dangerous; killer training programs, killer language programs, killer ribbon that tries to strangle you when you go to pin it down,” Lance growled, yanking at the fabric that had wrapped around his wrists like a boa constrictor. He froze when he spotted the tiger watching him. He blushed and held up his hands. “Hey there Blue, little help?”

She snorted and came over to tug on the silver ribbon.

“Thanks,” he sighed. “I was working on Chip’s dress and just… I hate Altean ribbon. This stuff has a mind of it’s own, I swear!”

He ignored her snort and threw the ribbon onto his work table with a glare.

“So, what have you been up to?” He turned around to grab some extra pins. He nearly stabbed himself when she jumped onto his back, pinning him to the ground as she started grooming his hair.

_I blame, Keith. Blue is never this rough,_ Lance thought as he groaned, “Ugh! Blue! Why are you always like this?”

Merla chuffed and Lance surrendered himself to being squashed under the tiger for the time being.

* * *

“So they still think they’ve got you fooled?” Hunk asked.

“Yep,” Lance snickered.

“How long are you guys going to let this last? It’s been a week,” Pidge pointed out.

“Either until one of them figures it out or they crack and give up,” Keith said with a shrug.

“You mean until Blue figures it out.”

Keith shot Lance a glare.

“Wait, so who wins if they give up?” Hunk asked.

“Lance bet on Blue either figuring it out or giving up while Keith bet on Merla for the same,” Pidge answered.

“You bet against your own lions?” Allura asked, sitting up.

Lance shrugged. “I love Blue, and I trust her to see through Keith’s pathetic attempts at lying, but I also know Merla’s stubbornness is rivaled only by his. Plus, Blue must be missing all this by now.”

“And as smart as I know Merla is, I’m pretty sure _all that_ must be getting on her nerves.”

Lance shot Keith a glare.

“You know, they seem to be doing a pretty good job of pretending. If you guys hadn’t told us about that conversation you overheard, I never would have guessed they had switched,” Hunk said and Pidge and Allura nodded.

“Naw, Merla’s way too clingy. It’s like she thinks Blue just hangs all over me all the time.”

“Doesn’t she?” Keith snorted.

“Plus, I don’t think Merla’s used to her size. She keeps crushing me. And I can never find her for our daily brushing session.”

“Merla hates being brushed. She doesn’t like the sensation of the comb or brush on her skin.”

“Fair enough. What about Blue? Isn’t he the best actor?”

“You mean besides the fact he never talks while Merla always wants to butt in?”

“Obviously.”

“Naw, he’s too closed off.”

“And that’s coming from Keith,” Pidge chuckled.

“About Merla,” Hunk agreed.

He shrugged. “Merla likes her space and so do I. We understand that about each other. That doesn’t mean she just lays there next to me without ever touching like Blue does. I don’t think Blue’s even slept in my bed.”

“You’ve had my baby sleeping on the floor!”

“Besides, he has no idea what to do with his legs when we’re fighting together. He’s always tripping over them and his tail.”

“Those two probably should have gotten used to each other's forms before trying this,” Allura chuckled.

“There you guys are.” The group turned to see Ryou and Shiro walking through the door. “What are you doing in here?”

“Keeping Allura company. Coran made her come lay down since she sneezed,” Hunk explained.

“Well, it’s time for training. Where’s the cats?”

“No clue.”

Shiro turned to Ryou. “You wanna go get them?”

The liger gave a soft growl before walking out.

“Alright, the rest of you go get changed.”


End file.
